Game apparatus

ABSTRACT

An object is to provide a game apparatus in which it is possible to increase an operator&#39;s interest through a relatively compact arrangement. It has a transparent falling face 10 on which many pins 10a are provided and a medal M falls, a reciprocating target which is provided at a bottom portion of the falling face and performs a reciprocation movement, a transparent thin water tank 13 provided in front of the falling face, a large-size display 7 provided at the rear of the falling face, and a medal supply mechanism 30 which comprises a hopper 31 which pushes up a medal, a rising guiding path 32, first, second guiding path 33, 34, which guide the carrying of medals and medal supply gears 35, 36.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to a game apparatus and in particular to agame apparatus in which a medal or the like is deposited, and the resultof the game is determined by the movement thereof.

2. Background Art

Referring to FIG. 15, there is shown a medal game apparatus 100 as istypical in the prior art. This medal game apparatus has two playingpositions for two operators, one on the left and one on the right. Ineach playing position, a falling face 110 is provided. This falling face110 is a vertical surface and, like a pinball board, is provided with aplurality of pins 110a which extend therefrom for changing the directionof a falling medal. At the bottom of and in front of the falling face110, a pusher table 103 is provided horizontally for receiving a medalwhich falls along the falling face 110. Along the falling face, areciprocating target 102 is provided which reciprocates periodicallyacross the falling face 110. At the bottom of and in front of the pushertable 103, a pusher field 104 is provided which receives medals M whichdrop from the pusher table 103. In a lower portion of the game apparatus100, medal ejection pockets 105 are provided. Medal deposit holes 106are provided above the falling face 110. A liquid crystal display 107 isprovided within the central portion of the falling face 110.

In the medal game apparatus having the above-described arrangement, anoperator deposits medal M into one of the medal deposit holes 106 andthe deposited medal M falls along the falling face 110 due to gravity.As it falls, the medal M comes into contact with the plurality of pins110a which are provided on the falling face 110, and thereby the fallingdirection of the medal M is changed. When the reciprocating target 102is positioned in the path of the thus-falling medal M by chance, themedal M passes through the reciprocating target 102. In thereciprocating target 102, a medal passing sensor is provided whichgenerates a medal detection signal when a medal M passes therethrough.This signal is input to a control circuit which triggers a medal supplymechanism to provide a predetermined number of additional medals M tothe upper portion of the falling face 110. There, the additional medalsM then fall along the falling face 110 due to gravity similar to themedal which was deposited by the operator via the deposit hole 106.

If a medal M, which is deposited via the deposit hole 106 and fallsalong the falling face 110, does not enter the reciprocating target 102,the medal falls directly onto the pusher table 103. If a medal M doesenter the reciprocating target 102, it subsequently also falls onto thepusher table 103. A medal M, which has thus fallen onto the pusher table103, then reciprocates together with a periodic reciprocation operation,in the rear direction of FIG. 15, of the pusher table, while the medal Mremains on the pusher table 103. When the pusher table 103 moves in therear direction of the figure, a rear-direction-side portion of thepusher table 103 is received by a table receiving hole which is providedat the bottom of the falling face 110 as the top surface of the pushertable 103 comes into contact with the bottom edge of the falling face110. When medals M are placed on that portion, the medals are caught bythe falling face 110 bottom edge, and thus slide along the pusher table103, without being received by the table receiving hole. As a result,the medals M on the pusher table 103 are pushed out forward.

As a result of medals M falling along the falling face 110 one by one,many medals M collect on the pusher table 103 and, as a result of theirbeing pushed forward by the above-mentioned forward and backwardreciprocation operation of the pusher table 103, some medals M drop offthe pusher table 103. The thus-dropping medals M fall onto the pusherfield 104. As a result of the pusher table 103 performing the forwardand backward reciprocation operation on the pusher field 104, the medalsM on the pusher field 104, which are located on the rear direction side,are again pushed forward by the pusher table 103. Accordingly, when manymedals M collect on the pusher field 104, this forward and backwardmovement of the pusher table 103 causes some medals M to drop off thepusher field 104.

The medals, which have thus dropped from the pusher field 104, fall dueto gravity along a medal path which is provided inside the apparatusand, as a result, are ejected to the medal ejection pocket 105. Thethus-ejected medals are then recovered by the operator located at thatplace or position.

When a medal M falling along the falling face 110 enters thereciprocating target 102, it is detected by the medal passing sensorand, as a result, a predetermined number of medals M are supplied to theupper portion of the falling face 110. A predetermined presentationprogram is then displayed on the liquid crystal display 107 in order toclearly indicate to the operator that the medal M has thus entered thereciprocating target 102, and also for increasing the interest of theoperator in the game apparatus 100.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

In similar medal game apparatuses 100 in the prior art, although thereare liquid crystal displays 107 provided they are too small to clearlyindicate to the operator that the medal M has entered the reciprocatingtarget 102, and also too small to increase the operator's interest.

Further, although it would be preferable for a predetermined number ofmedals M to be quickly supplied to the upper portion of the falling face110 through the medal supply mechanism whenever a medal falling alongthe falling face 110 enters the reciprocating target 102, this is noteasily accomplished. Because the medals M have predetermined sizes andweights, a considerably large-scaled medal supply mechanism is neededfor thus quickly supplying the predetermined number of medals M. Inorder to accommodate such a large-scaled medal supply mechanism, it isnecessary to increase the size of the entirety of the game apparatus,which increases the cost of the game apparatus.

In consideration of these problems, the object of the present inventionis to provide a game apparatus which allows the operator to clearlyrecognize when a medal M has entered the reciprocating target, whichthereby increases the operator's interest in the game apparatus, andthrough a relatively simple mechanism, allows a predetermined number ofmedals to be rapidly supplied to the falling face upper portion when amedal has entered the reciprocating target.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The objects, configurations and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent from the following description with reference to thefollowing drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a medal game apparatus according to afirst embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the medal game apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3(a) is a front view of the medal game apparatus shown in FIG. 1.FIG. 3(b), is a side view of the medal game apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the falling face 10 of the medal game apparatusshown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a front view of a medal supply mechanism which is providedinside the medal game apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6(a) is a sectional view of FIG. 5 of a second guiding path. FIG.6(b) is a sectional view of the second guiding path and a rising guidingpath. FIG. 6(c) is a plan view which shows a C-part of FIG. 5 of a partof a medal supply gear and a Geneva gear.

FIG. 7 shows a pushing up hopper.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a medal path changeover portion.

FIG. 9 is a view showing elements which relate to a control system ofthe medal game apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a control circuit of the medal gameapparatus shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 11 is a view showing an internal arrangement of the control circuitof FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing an operation of the medal game apparatusof FIG. 1.

FIGS. 13(a)-13(f) are views showing synchronization of a picture on adisplay and an operation of the medal supply mechanism, in a case wherea medal has entered the reciprocating target of the medal game apparatusof FIG. 1.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing a process for determining a number offish to be displayed on the display of the medal game apparatus of FIG.1.

FIG. 15 is a front view of a prior art medal game apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to FIGS. 1, 2, 3 (a), and 3 (b), a summary of a medalgame apparatus in a first embodiment of the present invention will nowbe described. As can be seen from FIG. 1, the medal game apparatus hasfour place units or positions which are arranged side by side so that atotal of four operators can operate the apparatus at any one time.

As shown in FIG. 2, each place unit includes a thin plate falling face10. This falling face is in a vertical plane, and, as a pinball board, aplurality of pins 10a are provided for changing a falling direction of afalling medal. In the embodiment, a medal M having an outer diameter of24.2 mm and a thickness of 1.7 mm is used. A horizontal pusher table 3is provided at the bottom, front side of the falling face 10, forreceiving a medal M falling along the falling face 10. Further, at thetop of the pusher table 3, as shown in FIG. 3 (a), a reciprocatingtarget 2 which periodically moves back and forth along the falling faceis provided. Such an operation of the reciprocating target is providedby a target operating mechanism 2b shown in FIG. 3 (b). A pusher field 4is provided at the bottom, front side of the pusher table 3 forreceiving medals M which drop from the pusher table 3. In a lowerportion of the medal game apparatus 1, medal ejection pockets 5 areprovided. Medal deposit holes 6 are provided at the top of the fallingfaces 10. In the rear of the falling face 10, a large Projection TV(PTV) display 7 is provided. This display 7 is not required to belimited to the PTV, and may be another display device, such as CRT(Cathode Ray Tube), a liquid crystal display (LCD), a plasma display orthe like. In the display 7, a picture in which fish swim in a water tankor in the sea is displayed.

In the medal game apparatus 1 having the above arrangement, an operatorwho stands or sits in front of each place unit deposits a medal M, whichthe operator possesses, into the medal deposit hole 6 at an appropriatetime, so that the thus-deposited medal M may hit the reciprocatingtarget 2 when the largest numbers of fish are displayed on the display7. The deposited medal M falls due to gravity, and while falling, themedal M hits the plurality of pins 10a, and its falling direction ischanged. When, by chance, the reciprocating target 2 is located in thefalling path of the thus-falling medal M, the medal M passes through inthe right rear of the reciprocating target 2. A medal passing sensor 2ais provided in the right rear of the reciprocating target 2. When amedal passes through, the sensor 2a generates a medal detection signal.

This medal detection signal is input to a control circuit 50, describedin detail below, provided inside the game apparatus 1, and thereby, thecontrol circuit 50 generates a medal supply signal. The medal supplysignal causes a medal supply mechanism, described in detail below,provided inside the apparatus 1 to operate, and thereby, the medalsupply mechanism 30 supplies a predetermined number of medals M to a topportion of the falling face 10. The predetermined number of medals Mthus supplied onto the medal falling face 10 fall along the falling face10 due to gravity similarly to a medal M which is deposited by anoperator.

When the medal M which was deposited through the deposit hole 6, fallsalong the falling face 10 and does not enter the reciprocating target 2,it falls directly onto the pusher table 3. A medal M, which once entersthe reciprocating target, then, also falls onto the pusher table 3. Whenthe pusher table 3 moves in the rear direction of FIG. 3 (a), a portionof the pusher table located in the rear side is received by a tablereceiving hole 10c (see FIG. 3 (b)) with the top surface of the pushertable 3 approximately coming into contact with a bottom end 10b of thefalling face 10. At this time, when the medals are placed thereon, themedals are caught by the falling face 10 bottom, without being receivedby the table receiving hole 10c together with the pusher table 3, slideon the pusher table 3 and remain at the original position. As a result,the medals M on the pusher table 3 are pushed out to the front side(left side in FIG. 3 (b)).

As a result of medals M falling along the falling face 10 one afteranother, many medals M collect on the pusher table 3. As a result of thecollecting medals being pushed out to the front side due to the forwardand backward movement of the pusher table 3 as described above, some ofthose medals drop from the pusher table 3. The thus-dropping medals Mfall onto the pusher field 4. Because the pusher table 3 performs theforward and backward movement on the pusher field 4, the medals M on thepusher field 4, located in the rear side, are pushed out to the frontside (left side in FIG. 3 (b)) by a front end portion 3a of the pushertable 3 which performs the forward and backward movement. Thus, whenmany medals collect on the pusher field 4, the medal pushing action ofthe pusher table 3 causes a number of medals M to drop from the pusherfield 4. The medals which thus drop from the pusher field 4 to the frontside (left side in FIG. 3 (b)) enter an effective collection hole 4aprovided therein. As a result, they fall due to gravity along a medalpath provided inside the apparatus, and as a result, the medals M areejected to the medal ejection pocket 5. The thus-ejected medals will bepossessed by the operator at that place or position.

However, as shown in FIG. 3 (b), at the end of the front side (left sideend in FIG. 3 (b)) of the pusher field 4, a medal holding plate 4b isprovided. Thereby, medals M which were pushed out thereto cannot easilydrop therefrom. Further, ineffective collection holes 4c are provided atthe two sides of the pusher field 4. Although medals drop from thepusher field 4, when they enter the ineffective collection holes 4c, themedals pass a path, different from the path through which effectivecollection hole passed medals pass, enter a medal containing box insidethe apparatus, and will be possessed by a manager of the game apparatus1.

When a medal M falls along the falling face 10 and enters thereciprocating target 2, it is detected by the medal passing sensor 2a,and, as a result, a predetermined number of medals M are supplied to thefalling face 10 top portion and the PTV display 7 clearly indicates tothe operator that the medal M entered the reciprocating target 2, andalso, displays a predetermined presentation program for the purpose ofincreasing the interest of the operator of the game apparatus 1.

Speakers 11 are provided to the game apparatus 1, and, in addition tothe above-mentioned picture presentation operation through the display7, a sound presentation operation is performed. Further, as shown inFIGS. 3(a) and 3(b), a thin water tank 13 is provided in front of thefalling face 10. In FIG. 2(b), a distance between the rear surface ofthe water tank 13 and the falling face 10a is approximately 6 mm.Therefore, a medal M having the outer diameter of 24.2 mm falls, in astate in which the obverse of the medal is approximately parallel to thefalling face 10, in a space between the falling face 10 and the watertank 13, hitting the pins 10a and changing its falling direction.

A pump 13a is provided below the water tank 13, and air is fed andsupplies bubbles B in the water tank 13. As a result, when viewed fromthe front, as shown in FIG. 3 (a), it looks as if fish F displayed onthe display 7 are swimming in the water tank 13. The falling face 10 ismade of transparent glass or acrylic resin, and also, the water tank 13is made of a transparent material. Thereby, it is also possible to setthe falling face 10 in front of the water tank 13. Liquid to be filledin the water tank is not limited to water. For instance, it may also beoil. Further, as shown in FIG. 3(b), a transparent cover 12 is providedin front of the water tank 13 and the pusher field 4. Thereby, medalhandling by a dishonest operator (for example, handling such as holdinga medal M by hand, putting the medal M to the medal sensor 2a, andcausing the sensor 2a to generate the medal supply signal or the like)can be prevented.

As shown in FIG. 4, a transparent acrylic resin cover 10d is provided onthe entirety of the surface of the above-mentioned transparent acrylicresin falling face 10. When a medal M falls along the falling face asdescribed above, many medals fall, hitting the falling face. Thereby,the surface of the falling face 10 is likely to be damaged, and islikely to get dirty. When the falling face is damaged and gets dirty, itwill be an obstacle when the rear display 7 is seen from the front side.However, it is costly to replace the entirety of the falling face 10,and the replacement work is troublesome. In order to solve such aproblem, the transparent acrylic resin cover 10d is provided on thesurface of the falling face 10. As a result, the acrylic cover 10d isdamaged and get dirty due to repeated medal falling. When damaged anddirty, only the acrylic resin cover 10d is replaced. Thereby, theobstacle for the display 7 can be removed easily and with low cost.

With reference to FIG. 5 and FIGS. 6(a), (b), and (c), theabove-mentioned medal supply mechanism 30 will now be described. FIG. 5shows the medal supply mechanism 30 which is provided for the right twounits of the four place units shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The medal supplymechanism 30 includes a pushing up hopper 31 which is provided in alower part of the medal game apparatus 1 and pushes up medals M, and arising guiding path 32 which guides the medal M pushed up by the pushingup hopper 31. The medals M rise, forming a row, and medals M which havebeen caused to rise by the rising guiding path 32 are distributed into afirst guiding path 33 and a second guiding path 34 through a medal pathchangeover device 32b. The first guiding path 33 guides medals M to afirst medal supply gear 35, and a second guiding path 34 guides medals Mto a second medal supply gear 36.

Each of the medal supply gears 35 and 36 supplies medals which have beenguided by the first and second guiding paths, one by one, to arespective one of the supply guiding paths 35b and 36b. The medals M,which have been thus supplied to the respective supply guiding paths 35band 36b, are guided by the supply guiding paths 35b and 36b, and aresupplied to the top of the falling faces 10 of the respective placeunits.

At the top of the above-mentioned rising guiding path 32, a rising medalempty sensor 32a is provided. Medals M pushed up by the pushing uphopper 31 move to the first and second guiding paths 33 and 34,respectively. When, as a result, a top portion of the rising guidingpath 32 is empty, it is detected by the rising medal empty sensor 32a,and a detection signal thereof is transferred to the control circuit 50.As a result, the control circuit 50 drives the pushing up hopper 31 andpushes up medals M which collect in a lower part of the apparatus 1 sothat the rising guiding path 32 is filled with medals M.

Each of the rising guiding path 32, and first and second guiding paths33 and 34 has a structure as shown in FIGS. 6(a) and (b). Guiding plates32c, 32d, 34c and 34d are fixed onto the supporting plates 30a, 30b, andthereby, each medal guiding path is defined. Because the cross sectionof the first guiding path 33 is identical to the cross section of thesecond guiding path 34, it has been omitted from the figures. Further,the supply guiding paths 35b, 36b have similar cross sections.

At the top of each of the first and second guiding paths 33, 34, and arespective one of first medal empty sensor 33a and a second medal emptysensor 34a are provided. By an operation of any one of the medal supplygears 35, 36, medals collecting in the corresponding one of the guidingpaths 33 and 34 are supplied through the corresponding one of the supplyguiding paths 35b and 36b. Thereby, when the top of a guiding path isempty, the corresponding one of the sensors 33a and 34a detects it. Adetection unit is then transferred to the control circuit 50, and thecontrol circuit 50, as a result, changes over the medal supplychangeover device 32b so that medals are supplied to the guiding pathwhose top is empty. Further, the pushing up hopper 31 is driven, andmedals are pushed up. The pushed up medals pass through the medal pathchangeover device 32b, and are supplied to the guiding path whose top isempty. Thereby, the guiding path is filled with medals.

The medal rising empty sensor 32a comprises an arm, the center of whichis rotatably supported through a shaft. When a medal M is present at thetop of the rising guiding path 32, the extending end of the arm islifted by the medal, and when no medal M is present at the top of therising guiding path 32, it is lowered. A sensor which uses thephoto-interrupter principle is provided at the extending end portion ofthe arm of the state in which the extending end of the arm is lifted asmentioned above. The sensor detects that light is blocked by theextending end of the arm. Thereby, it is possible to detect the state inwhich the arm is lifted and the state in which the arm is lowered.Thereby, it is possible to detect whether or not a medal is present atthe top of the rising guiding path 32.

Similarly, each of the first and second medal empty sensors 33a and 34buses the photo-interrupter principle, and they detect that light isblocked directly by a medal. Each of the first and second medal emptysensors 33a, 34b comprises two sets of sensors, as shown in the figure.Specifically, the first medal empty sensor 33a comprises two sensorswhich are arranged at the front and rear along the guiding path 33.Similarly, the second medal empty sensor 34a comprises two sensors whichare arranged at the front and rear along the guiding path 34. By thusproviding two sensors, even if a space between two side-by-side arrangedmedals blocks the light path of one sensor, the light path of the othersensor is blocked by one of the two medals. Thus, it is possible topositively detect medals.

The medal supply gears 35, 36 have the same configurations. Therefore,only the medal supply gear 35 will now be described. The medal supplygear has a disc-like outline shape, and, as shown in FIG. 6 (c), on onesurface thereof, a plurality of engagement grooves 35a and slidingportions 35b are arranged alternately along a circumference. On theother surface, a plurality of medal fitting grooves 35c are providedalong a circumference. A Geneva gear 37 (a Geneva gear 38 correspondingto the medal supply gear 36) is provided adjacent to the medal supplygear 35. The medal supply gear 35 is driven by the Geneva gear 37according to the well-known Geneva drive principle. Specifically, theGeneva gear 37 rotates at a fixed rotation speed clockwise in FIG. 5,and a driving pin 37a (a driving pin 38a in the Geneva gear 38), whichstands perpendicularly, rotates. The thus rotating driving pin 37aenters the engagement groove 35a of the plurality of engagement groove35a of the medal supply gear 35, which faces the driving pin 37a. Thedriving pin 37a pushes an internal wall of the engagement groove 35a andthereby drives the medal supply gear 35 so that the medal supply gear 35may rotate counterclockwise. Thus, after the medal supply gear 35 hasrotated approximately 60 degrees, the driving pin 37a goes out from theengagement groove 35a. Then, as the Geneva gear 37 rotates, an arcportion 37a (an arc portion 38b in the Geneva gear 38), which isprovided on the same surface of the Geneva gear 37, comes into contactwith the facing sliding portion 35b of the medal supply gear 35, andslides on the sliding portion 35b, while the medal supply gear 35 is notdriven, and the rotation angle position of the medal supply gear 35 ismaintained as it is. After the Geneva gear 37 further rotates, the arcportion 37a separates from the sliding portion 35b, and the driving pin37a again enters the subsequent engagement groove 35a.

Thus, as the Geneva gear 37 performs specific rotation, the medal supplygear 35 gradually rotates, repeating an operation in which the medalsupply gear 35 rotates again approximately 60 degrees, stops for awhile, and then again rotates approximately 60 degrees. By such rotationof the medal supply gear 35, while the medal supply gear 35 stops, amedal M drops into the highest medal fitting groove 35c from the firstguiding path 33. By rotation of the medal supply gear 35, the subsequentmedal fitting groove 35c moves to the highest portion, that is, moves tothe position at which the bottom end of-the first guiding path 33 faces.As a result, a subsequent medal M drops to the medal fitting groove 35cwhich has been moved to the highest portion from the first guiding path33. Such an operation is repeated, and thus, a medal M which has droppedto the medal fitting groove 35c at the highest portion moves downwardgradually.

At the bottom-left, in FIG. 5, of the medal supply gear 35, a medalcount sensor 35a (for the medal supply gear 36, a medal count sensor36a) is provided. This uses the photo-interrupter principle, andpresence of a medal is detected as a result of the light path of thesensor being blocked by the medal. While the medal supply gear stops,one of the medal fitting grooves 35c exactly faces the sensor 35a.Therefore, a medal, which is gradually moved downward by rotation of themedal supply gear 35, is detected by the sensor 35a while the medalsupply gear 35 stops. Then, when the medal supply gear 35 rotatessubsequently, a gap to a medal M fitted in the subsequent medal fittinggroove 35c is located on the light path of the sensor 35a. Then, themedal fitted in the above-mentioned subsequent medal fitting groove 35cblocks the light path of the sensor 35a. Thus, each time a medal Mpasses through the sensor 35a, the light path of the sensor 35a isblocked and not blocked occur alternately. By detecting such alternateoccurrences of the two different states, the number of medals M thathave passed through the sensor 35a can be counted.

Through such an arrangement of the rising guiding path 32, first andsecond guiding paths 33, 34, and medal supply gears 35, 36, medals M arepushed up, with a specific orientation in which the obverses thereof aremaintained parallel to the surface of FIG. 5, that is, they are parallelto the surface of the falling face 10, and are carried to the medalsupply gears 35, 36 right above the falling faces 10 of the left andright place units. Further, through the medal supply gears 35, 36 andthe following supply guiding paths 35b, 36b, they are supplied to thefalling faces 10, the orientation thereof being maintained as they are.Thereby, it is possible to make the medal supply mechanism thinner.Further, because it is possible to position medals M so that they arealways in a right orientation to the falling faces 10, it is possible toprevent a situation in which the falling face 10 is blocked with medalsM.

The Geneva gears 37, 38, which drive the medal supply gears 35, 36,respectively, are driven by driving motors which are not shown in thefigure. Through the Geneva gear principle, the medal supply gears 35, 36are intermittently rotated 60 degrees each as mentioned above, bycontinuous fixed-speed rotation of the respective Geneva gears 37, 38.However, there are many cases where, due to the inertia of the medalsupply gears or the like, it is difficult to cause them to always rotateintermittently 60 degrees each. When a situation occurs in which therotation of the medal supply gears 35, 36 is not controlled within 60degrees each regularly, and, due to inertia or the like, an extrarotation occurs, an extra number of medals M may be supplied to thefalling faces 10. In order to prevent such a situation from occurring, abrake mechanism is provided for each of the motors for driving theGeneva gears 37, 38. By a function of the control circuit 50, the brakemechanisms brake the Geneva gear driving motors each time the medalsupply gears 35, 36 rotate 60 degrees through the Geneva gears 37, 38,thereby forcibly causing them to stop, and, as a result, causingrotation of the Geneva gears to be stopped. As a result, each medalsupply gear 35, 36 positively stops each time it rotates 60 degrees.Thus, a situation can be prevented from occurring in which the extrarotation occurs due to inertia or the like, and, as a result, an extranumber of medals M are supplied to the falling faces 10.

The above-mentioned pushing up hopper 31 has approximately aconfiguration such as that shown in FIG. 7. It has a ring-like shape,and, as shown in FIG. 5, is set obliquely. A drum D, which rotatescounterclockwise in FIG. 7, puts medals M, which are collected in thebottom, on a ring thereof, one by one, and, due to rotation thereof,carries them to a position of a bottom end portion E of the risingguiding path 32. Medals M, which have reached the bottom end portion ofthe rising guiding path 32, are pushed into the bottom end portion E ofthe rising guiding path due to the rotation of the drum D, and caused torise, being guided by the rising guiding path 32. A stopper T, forpreventing medals which have been pushed in the bottom end portion Efrom flowing backward, is provided adjacent to the bottom end portion E.As a pushing hopper 31 having the above-described configuration,MODELDH-750/U1 of Asahi Seiko Co. Ltd., for example, can be used.

The medal path changeover portion 32b has approximately a configurationsuch as that shown in FIG. 8. A rod R is pushed out in a forwarddirection by a coil spring S and is withdrawn when a solenoid 32b-1,which is substantially fixed to the apparatus 1, is excited against theforce of the spring S, backward, that is, toward the solenoid 32b-1side, in a direction of an arrow. At the extending end of the rod R, arotation member G is rotatably supported at a first supporting point P1.The rotation member G is also rotatably supported on a second supportingpoint P2, which is substantially fixed to the apparatus 1. At a frontside of the rotation member G, a first sluice plate 32b-3 is rotatablysupported, and, at a lateral side thereof, a second sluice plate 32b-2is also rotatably supported via a supporting pole H, which is providedto stand perpendicularly.

The state shown in FIG. 8 is, as shown in the figure, a state in whichan entering hole I1 to the first guiding path 33 is shut by the firstsluice plate 32b-3, and the second sluice plate 32b-2 is removed from anentering hole I2 to the second guiding path 34. In FIG. 5, the medalpath changeover portion 32b of the configuration of FIG. 8 is set sothat the rod R projects in the downward direction of FIG. 5, the firstsluice plate 32b-3 is along a direction in which the second guiding path34 extends to the bottom-right, and the second sluice plate 32b-2 isvertical. A guiding structure, which is not shown in the figures, isprovided so that each of the first and second sluice plates is movableonly in a vertical direction of FIG. 8, that is, in an arrow directionof the figure. Thereby, corresponding to the forward and backwardmovement of the rod R, the rotation member G rotates along the reardirection of FIG. 5, and, as a result, the first and second sluiceplates also move in the rear direction of FIG. 5.

When the solenoid 32b-1 is excited, the rod R is withdrawn toward thesolenoid 32b-1, and as a result, the rotation member G is rotated, andthe first sluice plate 32b-3 moves in the upward direction of FIG. 8,that is, in the front direction of FIG. 5, and, thereby, the firstentering hole I1 to communicate with the first guiding path 33 isopened.

Simultaneously, the second sluice plate 32b-2 moves downwardly in FIG.8, that is, in the rear direction of FIG. 5, and, thereby, the enteringhole I2 to communicate with the second guiding path 34 is shut. Thus, byswitching excitation of the solenoid 32b-1, the medal path changeoverportion 32b causes the respective sluice plates 32b-2, 3 to move, andthereby, shuts/opens the entering holes I1, I2 to communicate with thefirst and second guiding paths 33, 34. Thereby, medals M which have beencaused to rise along the rising guiding path 32 are guided either to thefirst guiding path.33 or the second guiding path 34, when needed.

With reference to FIGS. 9, 10 (a), 10 (b), 11, 12, 13 and 14, a controlsystem of this medal game apparatus 1 will now be described. FIG. 9typically shows respective elements, for two place units, relating tothe control system, included in the game apparatus described above.However, in FIGS. 9, 10 (a), (b), and 11, components associated withticket ejectors 45 are added. The ticket ejectors 45 are configured forenabling an operation which will now be described. Instead of having themedals M, which have dropped from the pusher field 4 to the effectivecollection hole 4a, ejected to the medal ejection pockets 5 as describedabove, a ticket is ejected, which indicates the number of the medalsexpected to be ejected. In this case, the medal ejection pockets 5 shownin FIG. 2 function as the ticket ejectors 45.

In order to enable such an operation, other than the ticket ejectors 45,ejected medal sensors 41, ejected medal count hoppers 42, ejected medalcount sensors 43 and ticket ejection confirmation sensors 44 areprovided. Medals M, which have dropped from the pusher field 4 to theeffective collection hole 4a, pass through the ejected medal sensor 41of the place or position, which uses the photo-interrupter principle anddetects the passing through as a result of the medals M blocking thelight path when passing therethrough. When the passing through of themedals M is detected by this sensor 41, under control of the controlcircuit 50, the ejected medal count hopper 42 of the place or positionis driven to rotate. This hopper 42 has a configuration similar to thehopper 31 shown in FIG. 7. However, in this case, the count hopper 42 isnot used to push up medals M but is used for counting the number ofmedals M which pass therethrough. For each count hopper 42, an ejectedmedal count sensor 44 is provided, which uses the photo-interrupterprinciple and detects the passing through as a result of medals Mblocking the light path when passing therethrough. Similar to thecounting by the medal count sensors 35a, 36a described above, thiscounts the number of medals M which have passed through the sensor 43 bydetecting that the light path of the sensor 44 is blocked and notblocked alternately each time a medal M passes through the sensor 43.The number of medals M which have been thus counted is printed on a formfor a predetermined ticket under control by the control circuit 50, anda number of tickets, corresponding to the number of medals M expected tobe ejected, are ejected to the ticket ejectors 45 of the place orposition.

A medal deposit sensor 51 is provided to the medal deposit holes 6 ofeach place unit. Through the sensors 51, the fact that medals aredeposited to the game apparatus 1 and the number of medals deposited canbe always recognized by the control circuit 50. Thereby, when a medal Mis deposited to the falling face 10 (which looks as if it was underwater as a result of water in which fish swim being displayed by thedisplay 7 on the background), it is possible to increase an operator'sinterest by causing a sound effect "plop" to be generated from speakers11 through a software program of the control circuit 50. Alternatively,and combined therewith, it is also possible to further increase anoperator's interest, by causing the fish displayed on the display 7 toreact through a software program of the control circuit 50.

Further, with the number of deposited medals M obtained using thesensors 51, and the number of medals M provided to an operator from thegame apparatus obtained using the above-mentioned medal count sensors 43(as a result of tickets, in which the number is indicated, beingejected), it is always possible to obtain a ratio between the depositedmedal number and the ejected medal number, namely, a medal in-and-outratio as an actual result. By obtaining such a medal in-and-out ratio,it is possible to control the size and the number of fish which aredisplayed on the display 7 so that the medal in-and-out ratio may be avalue within a range.

Specifically, for example, an operation shown in FIG. 14 is performed bythe control circuit 50. That is, in a step S21 (hereinafter, the term"step" being omitted), by dividing the medal deposited number by themedal ejected number, as the number in the aggregate within a past fixedperiod, for each place unit, the medal in-and-out ratio as an actualresult in the place in the period is calculated. In S22, a fish amount(the number of fish times a size of the fish, hereinafter, in the sameway) corresponding to the medal in-and-out ratio is determined.Specifically, when the thus-calculated medal in-and-out ratio is verylarge, the optimum fish amount of the place or position is determined tobe a relatively small amount. Inversely, when the thus-calculated medalin-and-out ratio is very small, the optimum fish amount of the place orposition is determined to be a relatively large amount. The controlcircuit 50 controls so that the number of medals which are, as describedabove, supplied to the falling face of the place when a medal enters thereciprocating target 2 in each place may be larger as the amount of fishwhich are displayed in front of the place is larger, and, inversely, thenumber of medals may be smaller as the amount of fish is smaller.Therefore, it is possible to cause an average medal in-and-out ratio ineach place to be approximately constant by determining the optimum fishamount in S22.

In S23, for each place, the thus-obtained optimum fish amount iscompared with the amount of fish which are actually displayed in frontof the place. If the result is approximately in agreement, it is notnecessary to specially control the amount of fish displayed on thedisplay 7. However, if the result is considerably different, from dataof the difference between the optimum fish amount in each place and theamount of fish actually displayed in front of the place, syntheticallyjudging an amount of fish to be displayed on the entirety of the display7, the optimum amount of fish to appear on the display 7 and optimummovement of the fish on the display 7 are determined in S24. As aresult, it is possible to cause an average medal in-and-out ratio to beapproximately constant in each place, as mentioned above.

A presentation lighting (lamps) 46 shown in FIGS. 9 and 10(a) is, asshown in FIG. 2, provided at a top portion of the apparatus 1, and, inaddition to a presentation effect by the display 7, is caused to alwayscreate a predetermined illumination effect, and/or performs lightingoperation so as to create a special illumination effect, when a medal Menters the reciprocating target of a place unit, so that it is possibleto further increase an operator's interest.

Further, a water switch 49 (see FIGS. 9, 10 (a)) is provided fordetecting water leakage from the water tank 13, which is provided infront of or in rear of the falling face 10 of each place, and, when awater leak is detected thereby (in order to prevent a situation in whichthe control circuit 50 or the like is splashed and performs an erroneousoperation such as to supply extra medals, and, as a result, extra medalsare ejected), it stops excitation of a shutter solenoid 47, which isusually excited, causes a shutter (not shown in the figures), which isprovided to the medal ejection pocket 5 or the ticket ejector 45, tooperate, and prevents either medals M or tickets from being ejected.

Further, a tilt switch 48 (see FIGS. 9, 10 (a)) is provided in this gameapparatus, so that it detects when the game apparatus is intentionallytilted by an unfair operator (for example, so that more medals M mayenter the effective collection hole 4a from the pusher field 4), and itstops excitation of the shutter solenoid 47, which is usually excited,and causes a shutter (not shown in the figures), which is provided tothe medal ejection pocket 5 or the ticket ejector 45, to operate, andprevents medals M from being ejected, under control by the controlcircuit 50. In a case where the ticket ejector is used, because ashutter is provided in front of the medal count hopper 42, medals arenot counted, and thereby a corresponding number of tickets are preventedfrom being ejected.

Further in a case, other than that mentioned above, where power is notsupplied to the apparatus 1, excitation of the shutter solenoid 47 isstopped, the shutters (not shown in the figures) provided in either themedal ejection pocket or the ticket ejector 45 are operated, and eithermedals M or tickets are prevented from being ejected.

Further, as shown in FIG. 10(b), power is always supplied to one of thelighting 46 so that it is always lit. Additionally, power is alwayssupplied to the mechanism which performs regular reciprocation operationof the pusher table 3 of each place unit, to mechanism 2b which performsa regular reciprocation operation of the reciprocating target 2 of eachplace unit, to the above-mentioned pump 13a driving motor for producingbubbles in the water tank 13, and to a mechanism 52 for filtering andcirculating water in the water tank 13 in order to prevent the waterfrom becoming dirty. Accordingly, regular operations thereof are carriedout.

FIG. 11 shows an internal configuration of the control unit 50 shown inFIG. 10(a). The control circuit 50 generally controls the entirety ofthe apparatus 1, and comprises a main board portion 50A, which controlsdisplay contents of the display 7, and a sub-board portion 50B, whichcontrols the mechanical mechanism portion of the apparatus 1.

The sub-board portion SOB includes a device control portion 50B-1, whichcomprises subroutine software programs that make respective mechanismsbecome intelligent individually and controls them. These subroutinesinclude a pushing up hopper 1 (the pushing hopper 31 for the left-sidetwo place units shown in FIG. 2) subroutine, a medal supply gear 1 (themedal supply gear 35 of the left most place unit) subroutine, a medalsupply gear 2 (the medal supply gear 36 of the second-from-the-leftplace unit) subroutine, a path changeover device 1 (the medal pathchangeover device 32b for the left-side two plate units of FIG. 2)subroutine, a ticket ejector 1 (the left most place unit ticket ejector45) subroutine, a ticket ejector 2 (the ticket ejector 45 of thesecond-from-the-left place unit) subroutine, a pushing up hopper 2 (thepushing up hopper 31 for the right-side two place units of FIG. 2)subroutine, a medal supply gear 3 (the medal supply gear 35 of thesecond-from-the-right place unit) subroutine, a medal supply gear 4 (theright most place unit medal supply gear 36) subroutine, a pathchangeover device 2 (the medal path changeover device 32b for theright-side two place units of FIG. 2) subroutine, a ticket ejector 3(the ticket ejector 45 of the second-from-the-right place unit)subroutine and a ticket ejector 4 (the ticket ejector 45 of the rightmost place unit).

To make something become intelligent means to configure softwareprograms so that the above-mentioned particular mechanisms can be, inprinciple, independently controlled, as it is associated with anoperation of another mechanism when it is needed, by, for example,providing a special subroutine for each, as mentioned above. In otherwords, to make something become intelligent is to provide specialsubroutines which control input/output necessary for causing particularmechanisms to operate, and to configure software programs so that amechanism and a control software program can be treated as one means.The purpose of thus making them become intelligent is to attemptsimplification of control by configuring so that a mechanism and acontrol software may be combined and function as a separate means, andto enable re-execution and returning operation upon occurrence oftrouble to be easily performed.

Further, an input management portion 50B-2 and an output managementportion 50B-3 manage transfer of a signal which is output from eachsubroutine and a signal which is input to each subroutine in the timingof an interrupt pulse, which is supplied by hardware every 2milliseconds, and the process of taking measures for preventing theoccurrence of noise, which is referred to as chattering, and thereby,allows the signal transfer to be smoothly performed. An interruptportion 50B-4 is a software program, and has jobs written therein whichare started by input of the above-mentioned interrupt signal. A memorynotice request processing portion 50B-5 processes a read request(specifically, a request by the main board 50A for monitoring the stateof each mechanism which is controlled by each subroutine of the devicecontrol portion 50B-1). Further, a commander 50B-6 appropriatelyanalyzes commands which are provided by the main board 50B, andtransfers the commands to each subroutine appropriately so that thecommands are smoothly executed by each mechanism which is controlled byeach subroutine of the device control portion 50B-1. Specifically, thecommander 50B-6 converts a large division command into particular smalldivision commands, and supplies them to corresponding particular unitsof the device control portion 50B-1. A communication portion 50B-7controls communications between the main board 50A and the sub-board50B.

The main board 50A includes a main control portion 50A-1, aninput/output control portion 50A-2, a sound direct control portion50A-3, and a common RAM 50A-4. The main control portion 50A-1 generallycontrols game operations in the game apparatus 1, and, for example, whenreceiving information that a medal entered the reciprocating target of aplace unit, determines the number of medals to be supplied to thefalling face 10 of the place unit, controls movement of the fishdisplayed on the display 7, and outputs commands to the sub-board 50Bfor appropriately controlling an operation of each mechanism insynchronization with movement of the fish. Further, while controlling,it simulates actual fish movement so that the movement of the fish whichis determined by the above-described operation flow of FIG. 14 may beimplemented. Further, it controls so that the fish movements look real,by appropriately changing a pattern to be displayed on the display 7according to the respective movements of the fish (ordinary swimmingmovement, a movement of eating food, a movement of going toward thewater surface after eating food, and so forth). For example, as apattern of moving the fish three-dimensionally, a pattern of specifyinga target position and controlling movement of the fish so as to gothere, a pattern of specifying angular coordinates and controlling amovement of the fish so as to go there, and so forth can be considered.

The sound direct control portion 50A-3 directly controls sound which isgenerated in the speakers 11. The control of sound produces, forexample, background music, the sound effect of a "plop" when a medal isdeposited to the falling face 10 by an operator, a water sound of fisheating food and jumping up to the water surface and water sound of thefish then falling down to the water surface when many medals aresupplied to the falling face at a stretch as a result of a medalentering the reciprocating target 2, and a water sound in case apredetermined number of medals are supplied to the falling facesimultaneously. By adding such sound control, it is possible to furthereffectively increase an operator's interest.

The input/output control portion 50A-2 has a function for enablingcommunications with the sub-board 50B to be easily performed. Further,an interrupt portion in the input/output control portion 50A-2 is asoftware program, and contains each job which is started by input of aninterrupt pulse which is generated by hardware every 2 milliseconds andeach job which is started by input of an interrupt pulse of 1/60 seconds(16.7 milliseconds) for scanning control of the display 7.

Further, the input/output control portion 50A-2 includes a communicationportion which is connected with a communication portion 50B-7 of thesub-board 50B through a communication line 50C, and performscommunications between the main board 50A and the sub-board 50B.Further, it includes a sub-control portion which has functions of,appropriately, communicating a command from the main control portion50A-1 to the sub-board 50B, communicating a command from the maincontrol portion 50A-1 to a sound portion in the same input/outputportion 50A-2, and, conversely, reporting state indicating informationfrom the sub-board 50B to the main control portion 50A-1. Theabove-mentioned sound portion included in the input/output portion 50A-2has a function of transferring of a desired sound effect waveform to awaveform memory in response to a request from the sound direct controlportion 50A-3.

The common RAM 50A-4 in the main board 50A is used in informationcommunication between three CPUs of the main control portion 50A-1, theinput/output control portion 50A-2 and the sound direct control portion50A-3.

With reference to FIGS. 12 and 13, an operation of the game apparatus 1when a medal M enters the reciprocating target 2, which is performedunder control by the control circuit 50, will now be described.

A medal M, which has been deposited to the falling face 10 through thedeposit hole 6 by an operator, as shown in FIG. 13 (a), hits pins 10awhile falling along the falling face 10. Then, when the medal enters thereciprocating target 2 as shown in FIG. 13 (b) (S1 in FIG. 12), then, inS2 of FIG. 12, the medal supply number is determined according to theamount of fish which are displayed in a picture in front of the placewhen the medal enters the reciprocating target 2. The operation of S2may be performed between the operation of S3 and the operation of S4instead of being performed before the operation of S3 and the operationof S4.

Then, as shown in FIG. 13 (c), the lid of a shell K, displayed in abottom portion of the display 7, opens, and food is released underwater(S3 of FIG. 12).

Then, in S4 of FIG. 12, it is confirmed whether there is a shortage ofmedals M which should collect in the guiding path, for the place, of thefirst and second guiding paths 33, 34 of FIG. 5. If a shortage occurred,until it is filled with medals through the operation of the hopper 31,fish movement is controlled appropriately so that the fish F displayedon the display 7 do not eat the food which was released underwater, asmentioned above. At this time, fish movement is controlled so that sucha situation, where the fish do not eat the food although the food wasreleased underwater, does not look unnatural, by expressing a situationwhere the fish cannot successfully find the food, for example.

Normally, as a result of the control circuit 50 controlling the pushingup hopper 31, the first and second guiding paths 33, 34 should be filledwith medals. However, when, for example, a medal entered thereciprocating target 2 and a predetermined number of medals weresupplied to the falling face 10 repeatedly, immediately before, in thatplace or the adjacent place which commonly uses the hopper 31, thesituation may occur in which medal pushing by the hopper 31 is not quickenough so that a medal shortage occurs in each of the first and secondguiding paths 33, 34.

When the corresponding first or second guiding path of the medal supplymechanism of the place is filled with medals or when the correspondingguiding path has been filled with medals as a result of, as mentionedabove, fish movement on the display 7 being controlled while time iscaused to elapse in the above-mentioned S4, the picture on the displayis controlled so that the fish F start eating the food J, as shown inFIG. 13 (d). The picture is further controlled, and the fish having thuseaten the food start swimming toward the water surface (that is, the topend of the display 7), to disappear from the display 7 (S5 of FIG. 12).Then, the picture is controlled so that the fish may appear from the topend portion of the display 7 and get into the water just as if the fishfall into the water surface after jumping above the water surface forsome time. Then, the medal supply mechanism 30 is also controlled, andthereby, simultaneously with the fish appearing at the top end of thedisplay 7, the medal supply number of medals M, which was determined inthe above-mentioned S2, are supplied to the falling face 10 of the place(S6 of FIG. 12 and FIG. 13 (f)).

In order to implement such control, through software programs in themain board portion 50A, fish F which are present in front of the placewhich are caused to rise toward the water surface according to apredetermined program, using data of a position, a coordinate movingspeed, a moving direction of the fish F at a predetermined time, and soforth, thus simulating a movement in which the fish are jumping up abovethe water surface. As a result, the time at which the fish fall onto thewater surface is calculated and controlled so that the correspondingmedal supply gear 35 or 36 may be driven to correspond with a time atwhich medals M are supplied to the corresponding falling face 10.Further, other than a method using a time, another method can also beused in which the coordinate value of the fish F is monitored, andmedals are supplied when that coordinate value becomes a specific value.

On the display 7, not only fish F but also, as the background thereof,seaweeds, rocks on the bottom of the water, and so forth are displayedfor showing more reality. These hardly move in the screen, and, if theyare displayed in such a state for a long time, the screen of the displaymay be damaged. In order to prevent such a situation, through a softwareprogram of the control circuit 50, the background is caused to movelaterally periodically by such a slightly small degree that an operatordoes not notice.

In the game apparatus 1, one reciprocating target 2 is provided to eachof the four place units. However, it is not limited to such anarrangement, and it is also possible that a common reciprocating targetpasses through the respective falling faces 10 of the four place units,one by one. In a case where such an arrangement is used, an arrangementmay be set in which, when a medal falling along the falling face 10 hasentered the common reciprocating target while the common reciprocatingtarget is passing in front of the falling face 10 of a place unit, apredetermined number of medals may be supplied to the falling face 10 ofthat place.

Further, although the game apparatus 2 has the four place units, it isnot limited to this arrangement. It is also possible that an apparatushas only one place unit, and it is also possible that it has a largernumber of place units. Further, the game apparatus 1 is of a one facetype and has a rectangle-shape. However, it is not limited to such. Forexample, a two face type is also possible, and it may also be that aplurality of place units are connected to form a circle.

Further, in the game apparatus 1, thin pins 10a are used as obstaclesagainst a medal M on the falling face 10. However, it is not limited tosuch a shape, and, for example, thick cylindrical pins, such as thoseused in a pinball game, may be used. Further, in the game apparatus 1,metal pins are used as the pins 10a for strength. However, it is notlimited to that, and, for example, in a case where thick cylindricalpins are used, the pins themselves may be of transparent acrylic resin,similar to the falling face 10.

Further, in the game apparatus 1, the photo-interrupter principle isspecially used for detecting a medal M. However, it is not limited tothis, and, for example, a mechanical detecting system of micro-switchesor the like may be used.

Further, in the game apparatus 1, motors, solenoids and so forth areused as power sources of each mechanism. However, it is not limited tothese, and other kinds of power sources can be used as long as they arepower sources having similar functions.

An application of the present invention is not limited to theabove-mentioned medal game apparatus, and it can also be applied to apachinko game apparatus, a pinball game apparatus or the like. Objectswhich are displayed on the display are not limited to a picture in whichfish swim. A picture which uses animals other than fish as the objectscan also be used. Further, they are not limited to fish. For example, apicture of a car race or a horse race can also be used. For example, ina case where animals of a zoo appear, it can be considered that afalling face uses a wire netting instead of transparent acrylic resin.In this case, by making a mesh of the wire netting be smaller than theouter diameter of a medal M, to prevent a situation that a medal M dropsinto the opposite side, or the mesh is stuffed with a medal M.

It is also possible to provide a vibration detector for the water tank13 and a software program of the main board portion 50A of FIG. 11configured so that, when an operator hits the water tank, fish displayedon the display react.

Thus, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentionedembodiment, and other various embodiments can be implemented within ascope of the claims of the present application.

Industrial Applicability

Thus, according to the present invention, the lateral width of thefalling space providing member is approximately the same as or smallerthan the lateral width of the display. Thereby, the display accounts fora wide portion of the view of an operator, and, thereby, it is possibleto increase an the operator's impression of the display (claim 1).

Further, the predetermined picture which is displayed on the display isautomatically selected. Thereby, a troublesome operation is not needed,and various pictures are automatically selected and displayed. Thus, itis possible to increase the operator's interest in the game apparatusalthough management of the game apparatus is easy (claim 2).

Further, by providing the falling space providing member with areplaceable transparent resin cover, it is possible to keep the fallingface flawless and stainless. Thereby, it is possible to always keep thedisplay easy to be seen by an operator and it is possible to enhance theadvantage resulting from the use of the large-size display to themaximum extent, and thereby, it is possible to increase an operator'sinterest (claim 3).

Further, by providing an obstacle which changes the falling track of apredetermined object, it is possible to produce various falling tracksfor different predetermined objects, depending on how the obstacle isprovided. Thereby, it is possible to produce falling tracks that anoperator does not expect, and it is possible to increase the operator'sinterest (claim 4).

Further, by providing a transparent water tank in front of the displayand filling it with water or oil, causing bubbles to be generated and soforth, it is possible to increase the illusion that the picture ondisplay is actually underwater. Thereby, it is possible to exalt anoperator's frame of mind, and it is possible to increase the operator'sinterest (claim 5).

Further, by providing a relationship between the predetermined object'sfalling movement and a picture on the display, an operator pays greaterattention to the predetermined object's falling movement and also paysgreater attention to the picture on the display. Thereby, it is possibleto enhance an operator's concentration on a game. Accordingly, it ispossible to exalt the operator's frame of mind, and thereby it ispossible to increase the operator's interest (claim 6).

Further, a picture on the display is caused to have a relationship withthe predetermined object's falling movement in each of a plurality offalling space providing portions. Thereby, each operator of a respectivefalling space providing member can know, to some degree, thepredetermined object's movement in a falling space providing portionother than their own through the picture on the display. Therefore it ispossible to know a game situation of another operator, to enable somesort of communication between a plurality of operators, and it ispossible to increase each operator's interest in the game (claim 7).

Further, the target's movement is caused to have a relationship with thepicture on the display, and, therefore, it appears from the operator'spoint of view as if the target is incorporated with the picture on thedisplay. Therefore, it is possible to effectively use the target as apresentation effect, and thus increase an operator's interest (claim 8).

Further, an object supply operation by the object supplying means iscaused to have a relationship with the picture on the display, and,therefore, an operator pays greater attention to the object supplyoperation and also to the display picture corresponding thereto.Thereby, it is possible to increase a presentation effect of the objectsupply operation, and thereby, it is possible to increase the operator'sinterest (claim 9).

Further, a predetermined number is determined depending on thedisplaying contents of the display at the time when an object enters thetarget, or the contents of the picture on display are caused to have arelationship with the predetermined number. Therefore, as a result of anoperator paying attention to the picture on the display, and depositinga predetermined object to the falling space providing member at anappropriate time during a change in the picture, it is possible to causea larger number of the predetermined objects to be supplied. Thereby, itis possible to enhance a relationship between the picture on the displayand the progress of the game. Therefore, it is possible to bring out aneffect of the display to the maximum, and thereby, it is possible toincrease an operator's interest (claims 10, 11).

Further, by providing a plurality of falling space providing portions,it is possible for an operator, by seeing differences of displaypictures between places, to select the falling space providing portionwhich is most advantageous at the time among the plurality of fallingspace providing portions, and to deposit the predetermined object tothat falling space providing portion, so that the predetermined numberof objects to be supplied is the maximum at the time. Therefore, it ispossible that an operator does not use just a single falling spaceproviding portion, but rather an operator may use a plurality of thefalling space providing portions to cause the game to progress, and togreatly increase the operator's interest in the game (claim 12).

Further, the object supplying means causes the predetermined objects tobe supplied to the falling space providing member with the orientationthereof being kept constant, and thereby, if, for example, thepredetermined objects are medals, a surface thereof can be always keptin parallel with the surface of the falling space providing member.Therefore, it is possible to make the subject supplying means be thin,and also, to make the game apparatus itself be thin. Therefore, it ispossible to reduce limitations of a game apparatus setting space (claim13).

In addition, as a result of the object supplying means causing thepredetermined objects to be supplied to the falling space providingmember with the orientation thereof being kept constant, it is possiblethat the predetermined objects are, in a proper orientation, supplied tothe falling space providing means. Thereby, it is possible to preventthe predetermined object from being stuffed in the middle of the fallingspace providing member, and thus, smooth game progress is possible(claim 13).

Further, deposited number counting means for counting the number of thepredetermined objects which are deposited into the falling space by anoperator; and ejected number counting means for counting the number ofthe predetermined objects which are ejected from the game apparatus as aresult of many predetermined objects deposited to the falling spacecollecting at the bottom of the falling space are provided. Thereby, itis possible to monitor the game progress situation (claim 14).

Further, by controlling the number of the predetermined objects suppliedto the falling space so that an operation value may be within apredetermined value range, the operation value being obtained from thedeposited number which is counted by the deposited number counting meansand the ejected number which is counted by the ejected number countingmeans, it is possible to provide a control so that the ratio between thedeposited number and the ejected number may be within predeterminedvalues. Thereby, it is possible to prevent a situation that thedeposited number is too large in comparison with the ejected number orthe ejected number is too large in comparison with the deposited number.Thereby, it is possible to effectively manage the contents of the game(claim 15).

Because it is possible to effectively manage the game contents, it ispossible to appropriately increase an operator's interest, and also, toprevent a situation that the number of the predetermined objectssupplied is too large (claim 14, 15).

Further, by providing a pushing up means (for pushing up thepredetermined objects to an upper portion of the game apparatus), anobject storing means (for storing in the upper portion of the gameapparatus a predetermined number of the predetermined objects which havebeen thus pushed up), and a supplying means (for supplying thethus-stored predetermined objects to the falling space), it is possibleto appropriately supply the predetermined objects when it is necessarythrough a relatively compact arrangement, and to supply thepredetermined objects in a timely manner. Therefore, it is possible tomake the game apparatus have a compact arrangement, and also, toincrease an operator's interest (claim 16).

Further, by disposing the supplying means right above the falling space,it is possible to precisely control timing of supplying thepredetermined objects to the falling space (claim 17).

Further, by supplying the predetermined objects intermittently to thefalling space, it is possible to easily count the predetermined objects(claim 17).

Further, by providing stopping means for braking a motor driving thesupply means, it is possible to prevent the situation in which that themotor is rotated too much due to the inertia of the motor and thesupplying means, which thereby causes too many predetermined objects tobe supplied. Accordingly, a smooth and proper operation of the gameapparatus is possible (claim 18).

Further, it comprises a rising guiding means for guiding so that thepredetermined objects pushed up by the pushing up means may reach thepredetermined position of the upper portion of the game apparatus.Additionally, the object storing means comprises supply guiding meansfor guiding so that the predetermined objects thus pushed up to thepredetermined position of the upper portion of the game apparatus, maybe then supplied to the falling space. Thereby, the predeterminedobjects are positively guided in a predetermined orientation, to bepushed up to the upper portion of the game apparatus and be supplied tothe falling space. Thus, game progress is smoothly performed (claim 19).

Further, it comprises an object rising sensor for detecting thepredetermined object pushed up by the pushing up means and a controlmeans for causing the pushing up means to operate when the predeterminedobject is not detected by the object rising sensor. Thereby, it ispossible to always maintain a state that a predetermined number of thepredetermined objects have been pushed up. Thereby, it is possible tosupply the predetermined objects appropriately when it is necessary.When supply of the predetermined objects is necessary, it is possible tosupply them immediately (claim 20).

Further, also in a case where a plurality of falling space providingportions are provided, a common pushing up means and a plurality of theobject storing means and supplying means are provided, as well as adistributing means for performing distribution thereto. Therefore, it ispossible to supply the predetermined objects to the respective fallingspaces through a relatively compact arrangement. Therefore, it ispossible to effectively supply the predetermined objects through therelatively compact arrangement even for the game apparatus having aplurality, of place units (claim 21).

Further, it comprises an object rising sensor for detecting thepredetermined object pushed up by the pushing up means, object storingsensors for detecting the predetermined objects stored by the pluralityof object storing means, respectively, and control means for causing thepushing up means to operate when the predetermined object is notdetected by the object rising sensor, and controlling the distributingmeans so that the predetermined objects may be supplied to the objectstoring means for which the predetermined object is not detected by theobject storing sensor. Thereby, it is possible to properly supply thepredetermined objects to the plurality of place units. Thereby, it ispossible to appropriately supply a predetermined number of predeterminedmembers, when it is necessary, to the respective falling spaces. It ispossible to effectively supply the predetermined objects through arelatively compact arrangement even for the game apparatus having theplurality of place units (claim 22).

Thus, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide agame apparatus in which, through a compact arrangement, it is possibleto positively perform a smooth game operation, and also to effectivelyincrease an operator's interest.

We claim:
 1. A game apparatus comprising:a display for displaying apredetermined picture, wherein said predetermined picture is dynamic;and a falling space providing member, provided in front of said display,for providing a falling space for a predetermined object, wherein, saidfalling space providing member is such that, therethrough from a frontside, said predetermined picture displayed on said display can be seen;and the lateral width of said falling space providing member isapproximately the same as or smaller than a lateral width of saiddisplay.
 2. The game apparatus according to claim 1, further comprisinga selecting means for automatically selecting said predetermined picturewhich is displayed on said display.
 3. The game apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein said falling space providing member is a transparentresin, and is provided with a replaceable transparent resin cover. 4.The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said falling space isprovided with at least one obstacle which causes a falling track of saidpredetermined object to change.
 5. The game apparatus according to claim1, further comprising an approximately transparent thin water tank whichis provided in front of said display, wherein said thin water tank isprovided separately from said falling space.
 6. The game apparatusaccording to claim 1, further comprising: a control means for providinga relationship between the falling movement of said predetermined objectand the movement of said predetermined picture displayed on saiddisplay, wherein said movement of said predetermined picture has apredetermined relationship with said movement of said falling object. 7.The game apparatus according to claim 6, wherein:said falling spaceproviding member has a plurality of falling space providing portions,each of which can provide a falling space for said predetermined object;and further wherein said control means causes movement of saidpredetermined picture displayed on said display to have a relationshipwith said predetermined object's falling movement in each of saidplurality of falling space providing portions.
 8. The game apparatusaccording to claim 1, further comprising a target, to which saidpredetermined object can provide a predetermined action and whichperforms a movement having a relationship with a movement of saidpredetermined picture displayed on said display.
 9. The game apparatusaccording to claim 1, further comprising:a target, to which saidpredetermined object can provide a predetermined action; objectsupplying means for supplying a predetermined number of saidpredetermined objects to said falling space when said predeterminedobject has provided said predetermined action to said target; andcontrol means for providing a relationship between the object supplyingoperation of said object supplying means and a movement of saidpredetermined picture displayed on said display.
 10. The game apparatusaccording to claim 1, further comprising:a target, to which saidpredetermined object can provide a predetermined action; and an objectsupplying means for supplying a predetermined number of saidpredetermined objects to said falling space when said predeterminedobject has provided said predetermined action to said target, whereinsaid predetermined number is determined based on the displaying contentsof said display at the time when said predetermined object enters saidtarget.
 11. The game apparatus according to claim 1, furthercomprising:a target, to which said predetermined object can provide apredetermined action; and an object supplying means for supplying apredetermined number of said predetermined objects to said falling spacewhen said predetermined object has provided said predetermined action tosaid target; and control means for causing the contents of saidpredetermined picture displayed on said display to have a relationshipwith said predetermined number.
 12. The game apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein said falling space providing member comprises aplurality of falling space providing portions, each of which provides afalling space for said predetermined object, and each of which furthercomprises:at least one target, which is provided within each of saidplurality of falling space providing portions and to which saidpredetermined object can provide a predetermined action; and an objectsupplying means for supplying a predetermined number of saidpredetermined objects to the corresponding falling space when saidpredetermined action has been provided by said predetermined object toany one of a plurality of said targets, wherein said predeterminednumber is determined by the displaying contents of the correspondingportion of said display at the time when said predetermined object hasentered said target.
 13. The game apparatus according to claim 1,wherein said game apparatus is a medal game.
 14. The game apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein said game apparatus is a ball game.
 15. Agame apparatus comprising:a falling space providing member for providinga falling space of a predetermined object; a target, to which saidpredetermined object can provide a predetermined action; and an objectsupplying means for supplying a predetermined number of saidpredetermined objects to said falling space when said predeterminedobject has provided said predetermined action to said target, and forkeeping the orientation of said predetermined objects constant to saidfalling space; an object storing means for storing said objects inparallel with said falling space, wherein said object supplying meanssupplies said objects to said falling space in the same orientation inwhich said objects have been stored in said object storing means. 16.The game apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said game apparatus isa medal game.
 17. The game apparatus according to claim 15, wherein saidgame apparatus is a ball game.
 18. A game apparatus comprising:a fallingspace providing member for providing a falling space for a predeterminedobject; a deposited number counting means for counting the number ofsaid predetermined objects which are deposited into said falling spaceby an operator; and an ejected number counting means for counting thenumber of said predetermined objects which are ejected from said gameapparatus as a result of many predetermined deposited objects collectingat a bottom of said falling space; an object supplying means forsupplying a predetermined number of said predetermined objects to saidfalling space when said predetermined object has provided saidpredetermined action to said target, and for keeping the orientation ofsaid predetermined objects constant to said falling space; and a controlmeans for controlling said object supplying means and the supply of saidpredetermined objects to said falling space so that an operation valuemay be within a predetermined value range, said operation value beingobtained from the deposited number which is counted by said depositednumber counting means and the ejected number which is counted by saidejected number counting means.
 19. The game apparatus according to claim18, wherein said object supplying means comprises: a pushing up meansfor pushing up the predetermined objects to an upper portion of saidgame apparatus;an object storing means for storing in said upper portionof said game apparatus a predetermined number of said predeterminedobjects, which have been pushed up, while keeping the orientationthereof constant.
 20. The game apparatus according to claim 19, whereinsaid supplying means intermittently supplies said predetermined numberof said predetermined objects above said falling space.
 21. The gameapparatus according to claim 20, wherein said supplying means is drivenby a motorprovided with stopping means for braking said motor so as tocause said motor to stop each time a predetermined number of saidpredetermined objects are supplied.
 22. The game apparatus according toclaim 19, further comprising: rising guiding means for guiding so thatsaid predetermined objects pushed up by said pushing up means arealigned in a predetermined orientation and reach said upper portion ofsaid game apparatus, and whereinsaid object storing means comprises asupply guiding means for guiding so that said predetermined objects,thus pushed up to a predetermined position of said upper portion of saidgame apparatus, may be supplied, with the orientation thereof being keptconstant, to said falling space.
 23. The game apparatus according toclaim 19, further comprising:an object rising sensor for detecting saidpredetermined object pushed up by said pushing up means; and a controlmeans for causing said pushing up means to operate when saidpredetermined object is not detected by said object rising sensor. 24.The game apparatus according to claim 19, wherein:said falling spaceproviding member comprises a plurality of falling space providingportions, each of which provides a falling space for said thepredetermined objects; said target being provided to each of a pluralityof said falling spaces; wherein, said object supplying means supplies tothe corresponding falling space a predetermined number of saidpredetermined objects when a predetermined action has been provided toany one of a plurality of said targets by said predetermined object, thenumber of said object storing means and said supply guiding meansprovided being the same as the number of the falling spaces so that saidpredetermined objects may be supplied to the respective falling spaces;and a distributing means for distributing said predetermined objectspushed up by said pushing up means into a plurality of said objectstoring means.
 25. The game apparatus according to claim 24, furthercomprising:an object rising sensor for detecting said predeterminedobject pushed up by said pushing up means; object storing sensors fordetecting the predetermined objects stored by said plurality of objectstoring means, respectively; and a control means for causing saidpushing up means to operate when said predetermined object is notdetected by said object rising sensor, and for controlling saiddistributing means so that said predetermined objects may be supplied tosaid object storing means when said predetermined object is not detectedby said object storing sensor.
 26. The game apparatus according to claim18 wherein said game apparatus is a medal game.
 27. The game apparatusaccording to claim 18, wherein said game apparatus is a ball game.